Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing contributed 100 million HK dollars ($12.9 million) on Tuesday to support the rehabilitation of Chinese amputees and children with cerebral palsy.

The number of people that should benefit from the program would be over 100,000.

The donation marks the third time that China's richest man has invested in the Cheung Kong New Milestone Program, which has already helped 260,000 disabled people since 2000.

The program aims to set up 180 prosthetics centers to deliver free services to amputees nationwide, provide rehabilitation and therapy to 1,500 children with cerebral palsy in 13 provinces, and fund 200 disabled rights and development NGOs in Hubei and Heilongjiang provinces.

The program, co-founded by the China's Disabled Persons Federation and the Li Ka Shing Foundation, hopes to enable the disabled to become self-sufficient and live full and productive lives in China.

The program's first phase was carried out from 2000 to 2005, and the second phase from 2007 to 2012. Over the past 10 years, with the idea of "helping the helpless", the program has covered many fields, such as rehabilitation, education and employment, and has delivered free services to 260,000 people with disabilities in China. Thanks to the program, 170,000 amputees have received prosthetics.